Raid on the mansion
by Beautiful Storm Munroe
Summary: What if...  Storm and Jean came back with Nightcrawler during the raid on the mansion.


"Jean," Storm asked as she looked at the main console on the X-jet. Ororo Munroe- Storm- and Jean Grey were coming back from a successful recruit, and couldn't wait to get back to the mansion for some rest. However, the signatures that Storm was picking up concerned her. "Were we expecting anyone?"

Jean shook her head. Kurt Wagner- the incredible Nightcrawler- their new recruit, was probably asleep in the passenger area. Storm was sorry that she would have to wake him, but she had to hurry. She knew the kids were safe with Wolverine, but she wanted to make sure.

As they approached the mansion, they saw a C-130 surveying the mansion. Now, Storm knew that the kids were in trouble. She brought down a lightning bolt onto the helicopter- to disable any electronic surveillance- then used the winds for a gentle landing. "Open the top hatch," she said getting up and handing the controls over to Jean. "I'm going out there."

"Not without me you're not."

"Jean," Storm pleaded, trying to reason with her. "You need to stay here and get the kids who're probably already out here. Besides," she gave a wry smile. "I can fly."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jean grumbled. "Alright, you win; but, I'll make telepathic intervals to make sure everything's alright."

Storm nodded as the hatch opened, and then used the winds to lift herself up into the sky.

WIXMII

Storm used a thick mist to cover her as she flew in through a broken window, and landed into utter chaos. Kids were racing all about, trying to reach the escape tunnels. As she made her way through the crowd- helping some of the younger ones- she sensed the soldiers behind her. Then, she felt the displacements as something was shot at her. Using her abilities with the wind to shunt them aside. Then, she dropped the temperature significantly- literally freezing their guns and rendering them useless.

Stunned, the soldiers dropped their weapons, and Storm made a quick getaway. As she reached one of the passages, and closed the door after the children, she felt something coming at her, then catch her shoulder. Then, she felt a jolt of electricity, and used that to shoot a lightning bolt at the soldier. He was lucky she didn't use her full force and kill him; instead, she shocked him, knocking him out.

As she started going down another corridor, she saw Rogue close another passage. Bobby Drake and John Allerdyce appeared a second later. "Rogue!" she called. "John! Bobby!"

All three kids turned to look at her. "Storm!" Rogue said, relieved.

"Is there anyone else?"

The three of them shook their heads. "Where's Logan?" she asked.

"He was downstairs last time I saw him," Bobby replied.

"This way," Rogue said, intending to take them down to another passage. Before she could move though, an exterior lamp appeared, pretty much blinding them. There were two shapes vaguely outlined in the glare, outside the window. Storm knew that wasn't Jean; but, before she could call upon the wind or bring down another lightning bolt, Jean did step in.

_Storm, what's going on?_

Storm blinked to clear her head. _Nothing good, Jean. Most of the kids are out, but we don't know about the rest. Logan's still here somewhere and-_

There was an explosion that knocked the three kids down; but, Storm still stood. _Jean, I'm going to have to get back to you. Go on without me. I'll find a way out with Logan, Rogue, Bobby and John._

Storm helped the kids up and made a run for it as the soldiers came through the windows and started shooting into each room. As they hurried down a flight of stairs, Storm knew that things had gone from bad to worse.

The mansion was crawling with troops, and they heard bullets coming from the guns. Storm knew that they had used tranquilizers, but something had caused them to become more aggressive; and she had no doubt that Wolverine was behind it. She swore that if one of the children was injured because of him, she was going to strike him with a lightning bolt that wipe his memory again, and possibly cause a little more damage.

Suddenly, Rogue stopped; causing Storm to bump into John, and John to bump into Bobby, who bumped into Rogue. Then, she saw what caused the young girl to stop. They were standing amid of a pile of bodies. All of them soldiers.

"Logan was here," John commented unnecessarily.

"This is old news," Bobby said. "We can't stay here Rogue, we're sitting ducks. We keep going after him like this, we'll just get ourselves in trouble."

"I think we already have," Storm said. She had sensed someone coming their direction, then she saw the green lasers appear directly onto Rogue. However, they never got a chance to fire. Just as Storm was getting ready to lower the temperature again, Logan jumped down from the gallery above them. She looked away as Logan stabbed at their attackers, hoping Rogue and the others would to, but knew that Rogue and John never did.

A brace of lights suddenly hit the entrance from outside, pinning Logan to their beams as the helicopters responded to frantic calls for help. "Go!" Logan cried, pushing them deeper into the house. John found the nearest passage. As the kids went in, Storm stood aside, Logan not noticing for the moment. "Logan!" Rogue cried as he shut the passage.

"You want to shoot me," Logan demanded. "Shoot me!"

Storm was about to ask him what the heck he was thinking, when someone responded. "Don't shoot him!" A heavy set man with salt and pepper hair, a goatee and glasses stepped in front of the lines. "At least, not yet."

Storm knew instantly that he must be the leader of this raid. "Wolverine? Is that you? How long has it been? Fifteen years? You haven't changed a bit. Me, on the other hand, nature," he made a deprecating gesture. "Takes it's toll."

Storm watched in shock as Logan retracted his claws. "What do you want?" Logan asked.

"I must admit," Stryker said, ignoring the question as he took a step closer. "This is the last place I thought I'd see you Wolverine. I didn't realize he was taking in animals. Even animals as... unique as you."

"Who are you?"

"Don't you remember?"

"I think he would like you to answer his question," Storm said. This was when Logan and Stryker noticed her for the first time.

"Storm?" Logan asked. "What are you doin' here?"

"Came back early," Storm replied, still looking at Stryker. "_This _isn't exactly what I planned on coming back to though. Now," she turned her focus back to Stryker, "who are you, and how do you know the Professor?"

Before he could answer, a mist started to form between Logan and Stryker. Storm knew that Bobby was forming an ice wall, and used her weather abilities to chill the air further. Her eyes turning white, however, must have startled the soldiers. There was the sound of a dart being released, and before she could shunt it to the side, she felt it land on her shoulder. Her uniform prevented it from hitting her skin completely, but she still felt part of the needle break through her skin. She took out the needle immediately, but knew she was probably going to start feeling the effects of it soon.

"No," Logan said, not realizing that she was hit. "No!"

"Logan," Rogue said pleadingly. "Come on."

"I'll be fine," Logan said.

"But we won't."

Storm noticed the silhouette of Stryker reach for something. She realized automatically that it was a grenade. Logan did also and started for the passage. Storm did too, but ended up staggering most of the way in. The effects of the tranquilizer must have been starting to take effect. Logan noticed this also. "What's wrong?"

"The tranquilizer... punctured my uniform," she said groggily. "My uniform prevented most of it... but I still got a small dose." Her eyelids were starting to feel heavy, and the next thing she knew was darkness. She didn't even feel Logan pick her up.


End file.
